Meet Our Team

Jacopo Di Russo

Jacopo Di Russo studied Cell Biology in Florence, Italy, before joining Prof. Lydia Sorokin’s laboratory in Münster, Germany, as a Marie Curie Fellow, where he explored the influence of the extracellular matrix on physiological responses. In 2015, he joined Prof. Joachim Spatz’s laboratory at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, Germany, to deepen his expertise in cell adhesion at the biophysical level. In 2019, he established REMeD as an independent researcher, leveraging his interdisciplinary background to tackle medically relevant questions in retinal physiology. Since 2024 he is habilitated to act as lecturer at RWTH Aachen University.

Teodora Piskova

PhD Student - Biotechnologist

Teodora investigates how mechanical homeostasis in the retinal epithelium shifts with aging, focusing on post-mitotic epithelia, tissue mechanics, actin cytoskeleton dynamics, and phagocytosis. Passionate about scientific communication, she contributes to the pre-print platform preLights. She aims to become an independent group leader and leave a lasting research legacy. Outside the lab, she thrives on learning languages and weightlifting.

Felix Reul

PhD Student - Chemist

Felix explores the development of biomaterial-based platforms to study cell-matrix interactions in mechanobiology. With a background in chemistry, he focuses on material synthesis, characterization, and their application in epithelial tissue models. Enthusiastic about interdisciplinary research, he bridges material science and cell biology to create innovative experimental systems. He aspires to drive biomaterial innovation in mechanobiology. Beyond the lab, he enjoys bouldering and playing football with friends and colleagues.

Vasudha Turuvekere Krishnamurthy

PhD Student - Biotech Engineer

Vasudha joined REMeD from India and she develops human-based in vitro models to study the mechanobiology of the retina. Her work integrates engineering, biomaterials, and cell biology to create physiologically relevant platforms for understanding tissue mechanics and cell-matrix interactions. Passionate about translational research, she aims to bridge the gap between fundamental science and clinical applications. Outside the lab, she enjoys traditional dancing and singing.

Dariush Pezechk

Research Intern

Raja

Feel-Good-Manager

Lena Schildkamp

Research Intern

Ragul Ravithas

Student Assistant

Alumni